Arch-supporter.



G. O. HAMMANN.

ARCH SUPPORTER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18, 1913.

Batented'June 9, 1914,

T a; i

GEORGE C. HAMMANN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

ARCH-SUPPORTER.

TAMEMGTS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, GEORGE C. HAMMANN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of()hio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Arch-Supporters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification.

My invention relates to arch supporters, and particularly to anadjustablearch supporter.

The great variety of special conditions which exist in cases requiringthe use of arch supporters, requires that an arch supporter, in orderthat it may give universal satisfaction and meet the varying needs ofdifferent feet and even of the individual foot, should be fullyadjustable so that the support may be thrown under the proper portion ofthe arch, or instep, where it may be most effective to return the footto its normal condition and shape, and thus relieve the pain anddistress consequent on abnormal or pathological conditions.

To meet this requirement, and to provide a supporter fully adjustable tosuch end is the object of my invention.

Tn the drawings: Figure 1 is a bottom view of my new arch supporter;Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a section on line a-aof Fig. 2.

The numeral 1 indicates the arch plate of my new supporter. Said platemay be made of any suitable material; preferably, however, ll make thesame of heavy leather suitably finished, the said material being lightand having a certain degree of rigidity coupled with elasticity suitableto the purpose. The said arch plate is formed with a lip 2 which isadapted to fit to, and support, the inside of the foot arch. Adapted tofit to the under side of said arch plate 1, are springs 3 and 4. Thesaid springs are made of a high grade of spring steel. The spring 3 isbow shaped and fits longitudinally against the under side of the plate1; the said plate is provided with longitudinal slots 5, one near eachend of the spring, which are adapted to receive the threaded ends ofbolts 6, the said bolts being secured in perforations in the plate 1.Nuts 7 are provided for the bolts 6, and by means of the same the plate3 is rigidly secured to the plate 1, the slots 5 permitting longitudinalSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 18, 1913.

Patented June 9, 1914..

Serial No. 807,386.

adjustment of the spring 3. Connected with each of said longitudinalslots, are lateral, or transverse slots 8, by means of which the spring3 may be laterally, or obliquely adusted, the distance between eachcooperative pair of transverse slots, that is, between a slot and itscorrelated slot at the opposite end of the spring," being the same asthe distance between the bolts 6. The spring l is shaped to fit upagainst the under side of the lip 2 of plate 1, as shown in Figs. 2 and3, and thus forms an elastic support for said lip. The other end of saidspring is provided With a longitudinal slot 9 and lateral slots 10adapted to receive the threaded end of a bolt 11 secured in aperforation in the arch plate 1. A nut 12 adapted to screw onto the bolt11 rigidly secures the spring 4 to the arch plate. As will be seen, thespring 1 is adjustable, longitudinally, laterally and obliquely by meansof the slots 9 and 10. The spring 4:, as is clearly illustrated in thedrawings, fits between the spring 3 and the under side of the archplate.

From the foregoing description, the nature and use of my new archsupporter will be fully apparent. The arch of the bowed spring 3 may bethrown, by means of the adjustments above described, under the exactpart of the foot arch where the support is required. Similarly. thespring 4 may be adjusted to meet the individual requirements of thepatient. Such adjustments may also be made progressively, so that a footwhich is tender and sore when the arch supporter is first worn may begradually worked back into its normal shape and condition.

Having thus described my invention, what ll claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An arch supporter comprising a plate arranged to fit under the archof a foot, a spring arranged to fit longitudinally against the underside of said plate, said spring having a longitudinal slot near each ofits ends and transverse slots connected with each of said longitudinalslots, and means to secure said spring to said plate, said means beingarranged to pass through said slots whereby adjustability of said springis obtained.

2. An arch supporter comprising a plate arranged to fit under the archof a foot. a lip on said plate arranged to fit against the inner side oisaid arch, a spring arranged to fit against the under side of said lip,said spring having a longitudinal slot and transverse slots connectedwith said longitudinal slot, and means to secure said spring to saidplate, said means being arranged to pass through said slots wherebyadjustability of said spring is obtained.

3. An arch supporter comprising a plate arranged to fit under the archof a foot, a lip on said plate arranged to fit against the inner side ofsaid arch, a spring arranged to fit longitudinally against the underside of said plate, a second spring arranged to fit against the underside of said lip, said first mentioned spring having a'longitudinal slotnear each of its ends and transverse slots connected with each of saidlongitudinal slots, said second mentioned spring having a longitudinalslot and transverse slots connected with said longitudinal slot, andmeans to secure said springs to said plate, said means being arranged topass through said slots whereby adjustability of said springs isobtained.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twoWitnesses at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,this 10 day of December, 1913.

GEORGE C. HAMMANN.

Witnesses ARTHUR H. EWALD, FREDK. J. WENDELN.

